Undergraduate - UnitPSC6112 - Research in medicinal chemistry and drug action

This unit entry is for students who completed this unit in 2015 only. For students planning to study the unit, please refer to the unit indexes in the the current edition of the Handbook. If you have any queries contact the managing faculty for your course or area of study.

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36 points, SCA Band 2, 0.750 EFTSL

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered.

Level	Undergraduate
Faculty	Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Offered	Parkville Full year 2015 (Day)
Coordinator(s)	Dr Ossama El-Kabbani

Synopsis

Students will conduct a research project under the guidance and supervision of a member of the academic staff of the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences theme: Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Action. The research project will be carried out according to the conventions of the chosen research area and in an established academic/research environment. Students will receive regular advice from their supervisors on the rationale and design of the research project, instruction in the relevant experimental techniques, feedback on the outcomes of their investigations, guidance in the presentation of their research findings, and ongoing assistance in learning methodologies. At the conclusion of the research project the findings will be presented in a mini research thesis. Students will receive advice and guidance, within specified guidelines, from their supervisors on the preparation and presentation of a research thesis with support from Faculty and University education support programs. The thesis will be examined by internal examiners and by the supervisor evaluation.

Outcomes

At the completion of this unit the participant will;

Have gained insight into the breadth and diversity of the drug delivery and lead optimization research field
Be proficient in safe work practices for a chemical laboratory
Be able to critically review the scientific literature in their discipline
Have a detailed understanding of the processes involved in the design, development and implementation of a research project
Be able to execute and analyse a set of laboratory-based studies
Be able to present scientific results in a style suitable for publication
Have the capability to pursue higher studies and learning in the pharmaceutical sciences discipline

Assessment

The assessment for this unit will include the following:

Preliminary oral presentation 0
Mini-thesis 55
Final oral presentation 10
Supervisor's mark 10

The student will be required to conduct a literature review relevant to their research project and present a non-assessed preliminary oral presentation early in their candidature. This presentation will provide their interpretation of the background behind the project and the techniques required to conduct the research project.
The preparation of the mini-thesis throughout the candidature will be guided closely by the supervisor at all times.
Coursework activities will be conducted jointly to support the progression of the research work and the preparation of the final thesis. The final oral presentation is the culmination of the years work and should reflect the findings obtained, the students' interpretation of these and the conclusion they draw from their investigations.

The assessment for research is worth 75% of the overall final mark.

Chief examiner(s)

Dr Ossama El-Kabbani

Prerequisites

The prerequisite for entry to the Honours Degree of the Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Science is a bachelor degree in Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Science, Medicinal Chemistry, Formulation Science or other related field. An average overall credit grade or higher in the final year of the course, or equivalent qualifications and experience deemed by the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Training Committee to be suitable preparation for the candidate's proposed field of study is required